Saturday, November 9, 2019
Critical Analysis of CSR Essays
Critical Analysis of CSR Essays Critical Analysis of CSR Essay Critical Analysis of CSR Essay Research in management and organization studies on Corporate Social Responsibility (CARS) suggests that even though a large number of issues are addressed from child labor to environment degradation. The orthodox research on CARS plays within quite narrow parameters and that too from the perspective of economically advanced countries. The body of knowledge available on the subject suggests that until recently very little was said regarding CARS processes and projects in the third world countries or emerging markets. This is bizarre as well as perplexing since it is in the third world that the power buses of industrial capitalism is most nakedly and routinely apparent. It also happens to be the place where most the interventions in CARS occur on behalf of western corporations. Lack of emphasis on CARS in Pakistan as is the case with third world Is In line, with the dearth of relevance of the wests authoritative CARS discourse to those most affected In the region. Every time CARS issues pertaining to emerging markets or Third World Countries are addressed, they are seen through the ideological and theoretical lens of the West and tend to address the sensibilities of western audiences as per their standards. If the literature on CARS is aimed at clearly aspiring the issues pertaining to the developing countries, then It needs to engage properly with the Third World where prevalent Issues are unlikely to change. If one looks at some of the major CARS initiatives in Pakistan , it can safely concluded that informal institutions also play a very pivotal role in determining the kind of CARS the multi-nationals intent to undertake. Telethon Pakistan , a Norwegian telecoms company that had nothing to do with education sector chose to open schools in remote areas of Pakistan in order to promote education. The general perception amongst the masses saw it as a way of bribing the local population of the village that was initially hostile towards Telethons entry in their region . This was following a massive campaign to boycott Norwegian and Danish products after the famous incident of 2005 , where the local newspapers of the respective countries apparently published caricatures in the name of Freedom of Speech , offending Muslim population across the world . There were incidents where Telethons communication towers were taken down by the locals in the remote under-developed areas near the border. The boycott followed by vandalism to the property hampered Telethons progress . Telethons effort clearly paid off since it did manage to win hearts and minds of the local population eventually. Let did something that government had failed to do until now. They were able to build and sustain schools in those remote border areas where government initially failed to reach out to. These sponsored school were equipped with all the necessities that the local government schools lacked. They even trained the local staff for the school which opened up Job opportunities as well. Another CARS initiate by Telethon called Escapism won Best Mobile Money and Best Service for Women Awards in February 2014 in Barcelona at 19th annual mobile global awards . The first and largest branches banking service in Pakistan was announced winner in the following two categories: Best Mobile Money Service and Best Mobile Service for Women in Emerging Markets. The initiative was meant to provide financial inclusion to the unbaked population of Pakistan. Telethon made use of innovative products and strong distribution channels in combination with a high performing team to achieve this feat. It can be concluded that both CARS initiatives were influenced by the on ground situation in the country and informal institutions played its role Just like it has already been playing in media advertising for a longer time. Although there is extensive literature dedicated to development of theories explaining CARS, it still remains a poorly defined phenomenon. Obviously, CARS is an inevitable stage of development of a liberal market economy: CARS strategy incorporated into corporate governance can positively influence a share price or, in case of failures in implementation of CARS practices (we all remember BP oil spill in 010), this influence can be almost fatal; CARS activity can strengthen a brand perception or destroy it forever etc. In other words, the more sensitive, demanding and educated a particular market, society or government is, the higher the chance that CARS programs are developed, implemented and monitored. CHILD LABOR FIASCO Soccer or football is the most popular sport in the world. And for many, this means to 85 per cent of the total world demand for high-quality hand-stitched inflatable balls. The factories of Shallot supply 40 million footballs a year, and that number rises o 60 million in European Championship or World Cup years. According to legend, the success story of Shallot as world capital of football production started with a man who repaired a leather ball for British colonial military officers about a century ago, and then began making his own balls. He was called Seed Sahibs, and the city has named a street after him Soccer ball production has a long history and it currently happens to be responsible for approximately 60 to 70 percent of the worlds hand stitched soccer ball production with leading international brands (I. E. Nikkei and Aids) sourcing almost exclusively from there. The city of Shallot in Pakistan produces as many as 60 million hand-stitched footballs in a World Cup year employing over 1 lack workers across hundreds of manufacturers. The sector has been under the scrutiny of intense western based CARS initiatives since 1995 when child labor was exposed. The firms ran out of new workers since child labor was abolished. Western buyers may have had a clear conscience, but the children of Shallot began toiling in the local brickworks instead. Before Child labor became an issue the balls were sent to villages where families including children stitched the alls and sent them back to the subcontractors who in turn exported it to their western brand. Many of the Shallot soccer ball manufacturers felt their industry was placed in jeopardy by them being forced to give abandon child labor. They interpreted the media campaign and the intervention as acts of politico-economic imperialism designed by malevolent Western entities to undermine Pakistanis sovereignty and economic reputation through sensationalistic and fabricating evidence of human rights abuses in its industry. l This interpretation is reflected in the following headline typical for the time: Western Propaganda against Child Labor doing Great Harm to Economy (Mali, 1996: 4). This conspiracy reading was also expressed in interviews given by prominent Shallot soccer ball manufacturers as illustrated in this quote from a senior director of one large business: We have seen fake pictures of tiny children stitching footballs .. They were staged to depict the horrors of child labor and they were deliberately planted to give Pakistan a bad name (Mir, 1996). 2 It was a view not Just held by the local business elite, but also by other employees as the following quote from a firm manager demonstrates: Why are corporate social standards coming in? They [the West] are bonding us. They are hiring our businesses to keep [us] in their command. All bad things are reserved for us to make and then [we hear] abuse [from the West]. All materials, dirty work, sent to us. When we do it, [they] use international law and say we are damaging environment and fine us. Ship breaking in South Asia. All scrap sent to third world and when pollution, give bill [to us]. They rob us with both hands. 3 The perception in Shallot is that the West is out to politically dominate a developing country such as Pakistan. First dirty work is sent to the developing world. -II feel like a foreign agent:Nags and corporate social responsibility interventions into Third World child labor Farad Raff Khan source: co. UK/ acrimoniousnesss. An accepted, the West imposes its corporate social standards, telling the developing country how to behave and undermining its sovereignty and autonomy as well robbing it through imposing fines for CARS noncompliance. According to industry sources, domestic producers have managed to acquire about 35% of the total orders floated globally for the upcoming Fief World Cup . This s a sharp decline from the 70-80% acquired in 98 02 World cups. The local football industry earned $164 million in export earnings in the financial year 09, as against an average of $221 million per annum earned during financial years 2005-08. Shortfall in the power and gas sector is not making it any easier for the industry, and word of mouth is that numerous businesses have failed to meet their required deadlines denting their reputation. CONCLUSION Regulators all around the world are now increasingly holding the corporate sector responsible for its impact on society, the economy and the environment. This is Ewing seen through increased regulatory behavior to guide companies in driving corporate social responsibility. Companies are run differently than Nags or not for profit organizations. The main goal and first most priority of any for profit organization is to maximize its profits . CARS is seen as means to brand it all by some of the multi-nationals. The fact that most of these companies venture into areas where they have their factories is also very telling . By law companies are required to spend some percent of their pre-tax profits on CARS in Pakistan Just like other developing countries . The percentage varies in efferent countries. Some companies spend way more on CARS than they are required by the law, their rationale is that its an investment and it will come back to them in the long run. Important because companies are interlinked with a wide range of political, economic and social, formal and informal institutions that affect their behavior. At the same time, it is also necessary to take into consideration that companies not only adapt to institutional contexts, but also frequently play an active role in shaping those contexts, which means that the only feasible way to make business all over the world unconscious and responsible is further liberalizin g and closer collaboration between companies, governments and societies. Still, one question is what tools to choose in order to minimize these gaps between regions and adjust business attitudes. Should they be new types of taxes, stricter forms of regulations and punishments, strengthened blaming and shaming activities of Nags and media, or better social education? And another question: is it possible at all? References Dads M (1989) Machines as the Measure of Men: Science, Technology, and Ideologies of Western Dominance. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Awn S (1996) Child Labor in the Football Manufacturing Industry.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Biography of Lorenzo de Medici
Biography of Lorenzo de' Medici Lorenzo deââ¬â¢ Medici, (January 1, 1449 ââ¬â April 8, 1492) was a Florentine politician and one of the most prominent patrons of arts and culture in Italy. During his reign as de facto leader of the Florentine Republic, he held together political alliances while sponsoring artists and encouraging the peak of the Italian Renaissance. Fast Facts: Lorenzo de' Medici Known For: Statesman and de facto leader of Florence whose reign coincided with a boom in the Italian Renaissance, thanks largely to his patronage of arts, culture, and philosophy.Also Known As: Lorenzo the Magnificent Born: January 1, 1449 in Florence, Republic of Florence (modern-day Italy)Died: April 8, 1492 at Villa Medici at Careggi, Republic of FlorenceSpouse: Clarice Orsini (m. 1469)Children: Lucrezia Maria Romola (b. 1470), Piero (b. 1472), Maria Maddalena Romola (b. 1473), Giovanni (b. 1475), Luisa (b. 1477), Contessina Antonia Romola (b. 1478), Giuliano (b. 1479); also adopted nephew Giulio di Giuliano de Medici (b. 1478)Quote:à ââ¬Å"What I have dreamed in an hour is worth more than what you have done in four.â⬠à Medici Heir Lorenzo was a son of the Medici family, who held political power in Florence but also held power by virtue of the Medici Bank, which was the most powerful and respected bank in all of Europe for many years. His grandfather, Cosimo deââ¬â¢ Medici, cemented the familyââ¬â¢s role in Florentine politics, while also spending a great deal of his vast fortune on building up the city-stateââ¬â¢s public projects and its arts and culture. Lorenzo was one of five children born to Piero di Cosimo deââ¬â¢ Medici and his wife, Lucrezia (nee Tournabuoni). Piero was at the center of Florenceââ¬â¢s politics scene and was an art collector, while Lucrezia was a poet in her own right and befriended many philosophers and fellow poets of the era. Because Lorenzo was deemed the most promising of their five children, he was brought up from a young age with the expectation that he would be the next Medici ruler. He was tutored by some of the top thinkers of the day and accomplished some notable achievements- such as winning a jousting tournament- while still a youth. His closest associate was his brother, Giuliano, who was the handsome, charming ââ¬Å"golden boyâ⬠to Lorenzoââ¬â¢s plainer, more serious self. The Young Ruler In 1469, when Lorenzo was twenty years old, his father died, leaving Lorenzo to inherit the work of ruling Florence. Technically, the Medici patriarchs did not rule the city-state directly, but instead were statesmen who ââ¬Å"ruledâ⬠via threats, financial incentives, and marriage alliances. Lorenzoââ¬â¢s own marriage took place the same year he took over from his father; he married Clarice Orsini, the daughter of a nobleman from another Italian state. The couple went on to have ten children and one adopted son, seven of whom survived to adulthood, including two future popes (Giovanni, the future Leo X, and Giulio, who became Clement VII). From the very beginning, Lorenzo deââ¬â¢ Medici was a major patron of the arts, even more so than others in the Medici dynasty, which always place a high value on the arts. Although Lorenzo himself rarely commissioned work, he often connected artists with other patrons and helped them get commissions. Lorenzo himself was also a poet. Some of his poetry- often concerned with the human condition as a combination of the bright and lovely alongside the melancholy and temporary- survives to this day. Artists who enjoyed Lorenzoââ¬â¢s patronage included some of the most influential names of the Renaissance: Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, and Michelangelo Buonarroti. In fact, Lorenzo and his family even opened their home to Michelangelo for three years while he lived and worked in Florence. Lorenzo also encouraged the development of humanism through the philosophers and scholars in his inner circle, who worked to reconcile the thought of Plato with Christian thought. The Pazzi Conspiracy Because of the Medici monopoly over Florentine life, other powerful families vacillated between alliance and enmity with the Medici. On April 26, 1478, one of those families came close to toppling the Medici reign. The Pazzi conspiracy involved other families, such as the Salviati clan, and was backed by Pope Sixtus IV in an attempt to overthrow the Medici. On that day, Lorenzo was attacked, along with his brother and co-ruler Giuliano, in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Lorenzo was wounded but escaped with minor wounds, in part thanks to the assistance and defense of his friend, the poet Poliziano. Giuliano, however, was not as lucky: he suffered a violent death by stabbing. The response to the attack was swift and harsh, both on the part of the Medici and Florentines themselves. The conspirators were executed, and members of their families were also severely punished. Giuliano left behind an illegitimate son, Giulio, who was adopted and raised by Lorenzo and Clarice. Since the conspirators acted with the blessing of the pope, he attempted to seize Medici assets and excommunicated all of Florence. When that failed to bring Lorenzo around, he tried allying with Naples and launched an invasion. Lorenzo and the citizens of Florence defended their city, but the war took its toll, as some of Florenceââ¬â¢s allies failed to come to their aid. Eventually, Lorenzo personally traveled to Naples to forge a diplomatic solution. He also commissioned some of Florenceââ¬â¢s best artists to travel to the Vatican and paint new murals in the Sistine Chapel, as a gesture of reconciliation with the pope. Later Rule and Legacy Although his support for culture would ensure his legacy was a positive one, Lorenzo deââ¬â¢ Medici made some unpopular political decisions too. When alum, a hard-to-find but important compound for making glass, textiles, and leather, was discovered in nearby Volterra, the citizens of that city asked Florence for help mining it. However, a dispute soon arose when the citizens of Volterra realized the real value of the resource and wanted it for their own city, rather than the Florentine bankers assisting them. A violent insurrection resulted, and the mercenaries Lorenzo sent to end it sacked the city, permanently marring Lorenzoââ¬â¢s reputation. For the most part, though, Lorenzo attempted to rule peacefully; the cornerstone of his policy was to maintain a balance of power among the Italian city-states and to keep outside European powers out of the peninsula. He even maintained good trading ties with the Ottoman Empire. Despite his efforts, the Medici coffers were drained by their spending and by bad loans their bank supported, so Lorenzo began trying to fill the gaps through misappropriations. He also brought the charismatic friar Savonarola to Florence, who preached about the destructive nature of secular art and philosophy, among other things. The sensationalist friar would, in a few yearsââ¬â¢ time, help salvage Florence from French invasion, but would also lead to the end of Medici rule. Lorenzo deââ¬â¢ Medici died at the Villa Medici at Careggi, on April 8, 1492, reportedly dying peacefully after hearing the dayââ¬â¢s Scripture readings. He was buried in the Church of San Lorenzo, alongside his brother Giuliano. Lorenzo left behind a Florence that would soon overthrow Medici rule- although his son and his nephew would eventually return the Medici to power- but he also left behind a rich and vast legacy of culture that came to define Florenceââ¬â¢s place in history. Sources Kent, F.W. Lorenzo deââ¬â¢ Medici and the Art of Magnificence. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 2004.ââ¬Å"Lorenzo deââ¬â¢ Medici: Italian Statesman.â⬠Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lorenzo-de-Medici.Parks, Tim. Medici Money: Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence. New York: W.W. Norton Co., 2008.Unger, Miles J. Magnifico: The Brilliant Life and Violent Times of Lorenzo deââ¬â¢ Medici. Simon Schuster, 2009.
Monday, November 4, 2019
Organisational Learning and Design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Organisational Learning and Design - Essay Example Previously, it was believed that the companies have to identify the extraordinary potential candidates and prepare them for future senior level positions (Belet, 2007). Recently, the organisations have stressed the importance of changing the business structures so that the culture imperative for learning enterprises can be supported (Mishra & Bhaskar, 2011). Moreover, there needs to be a balance between the leadership and management development aspects so that reforms are easily commenced. In order to evaluate the significance and challenges of the learning organisations, two articles have been reviewed. According to Mahoney (2000), the concept of learning companies was initiated in 1990s and there is no perfect solution for creating such organisations. It is mandatory for the corporations to foster leadership within each level of the organisations from the directors and senior managers to lower management level. Also, equally important is the conception of a culture which will assist the enterprises in the development and augmentation of learning organisations. On the other hand, Belet (2007) studied the concept of building high potential executives in French companies for crafting learning-oriented organisations. According to the author, there is still presence of the hierarchical and centralised leadership styles in these enterprises and the leadership development programmes are ineffective in bringing the desired changes within the firms. Hence, there is requirement of embedding the learning organisation characteristics within the businesses so that they can comply with the changing market structures. In todayââ¬â¢s contemporary business world, the organisations have to adjust their structures and frameworks to make sure that they have the compatible systems and tools for responding to the markets. It has been mentioned by Mahoney (2000) that it is the responsibility of the directors and senior managers to
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Deconstructionism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Deconstructionism - Assignment Example Furthermore, it dissects binary issues, particularly nature versus modernity, truth versus deception, and essence versus appearance. ââ¬Å"Gooseberriesâ⬠examines the difference between being good, which can lead to the illusion of happiness and power, and doing good, which results to action, truth, and a meaningful life. One of the initial binary oppositions is between nature and modernity, where Chekhov proposes a paradoxical view of nature. In the beginning, nature is separated from modernity, because of the distinction between the towns and the farms. On one side, ââ¬Å"endless, telegraph-posts, and the trainâ⬠occupy the eyesight, while on the other side, people can see the ââ¬Å"bank of the river; meadows, green willows, farmhousesâ⬠(Chekhov 1). Chaos and tedium seem to infiltrate the symbols of modern living, while nature is full of action, diversity, color, and life. Nevertheless, as rain pours on n Ivanich and Bourkin, nature acquires a more sinister dispo sition. What used to be a lovely setting of hills suddenly becomes ââ¬Å"wet, muddy, and unpleasant, and the river looked cold and sullenâ⬠(Chekhov 1). At the same time, because the mud made walking a chore, Ivanich and Bourkin look like ââ¬Å"they were angry with each otherâ⬠(Chekhov 1). ... Nicholai is a perfect example of a wasted life, because all that matters to him is having a happy life with no ideology and care for disadvantaged sectors of society. He worked at the Exchequer Court, but he did nothing of significance, as he held this important job. Instead of ensuring the spread of social justice and equality, he is more concerned of his self-interests. He is obsessed with the idea of having a farm of his own with a gooseberry bush. This obsession drives him to be stingy, not only with money, but with human compassion. For Ivan, his brother unintentionally kills his rich, old wife through starving her to death and making her feel miserable about her life. Through his brotherââ¬â¢s case, Ivan argues for the difference between happiness and misery. Nicholai seems to be happy, because he attained his dream, but his gooseberries are ââ¬Å"hard and sourâ⬠(Chekhov 4). It suggests that he appears to be happy, but he has a miserable life. He is fat and dying for no evocative purpose at all, except to deceive himself that he has a good life and that he is a good man. Nicholai insists on being called ââ¬Å"His Lordship,â⬠and yet his sloth and vanity are far from the qualities of a true God (Chekhov 4). Nicholai also believes that the masses do not need education and that corporal punishment is justifiable to some extent (Chekhov 4). Ivan expresses disgust for his brother, who has lost in touch with his nature, the nature with real ideals worth living and dying for. Gooseberries are motifs for the difference between doing good and being good. Having a farm and doing nothing to improve its state, especially the state of its people is ââ¬Å"â⬠¦egoism, laziness; it is a kind of monasticism, but monasticism
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Marketing Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Marketing Service - Essay Example Aim and Objectives: To understand the influence of service experience and its effects on service purchase process. To understand the significance of customer experience in the creation of competitive advantage for the organizations. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework is very useful as it assists academics in formulating a precise research direction and focus, and for businesses in identification of the stages that require improvement, and hence necessitate more resources allocated to it. A theoretical framework is a compilation of interconnected concepts, similar to a theory but not essentially worked-out well. ââ¬Å"Theoretical frameworks are obviously critical in deductive, theory-testing sorts of studiesâ⬠(Bhojanna 2007). When the consumer services, they pass through three main stages, ie; pre-purchase stage, service encounter stage, and post-encounter stage. Three-Stage Model of Service Consumption: (Tsiotsou & Wirtz 2011). The stage of pre-purchase in the de cision-making process for services is more complex, when compared to that of goods. The decision-making process involves a lot of time, because of consumer participation in the service production process. In the pre-purchase stage, consumers are prompted into action, by the creation of a need to begin the search for information, and assess alternatives for a particular service, ahead of deciding whether to buy or not. ââ¬Å"But learning about pre-purchase behavior is equally importantâ⬠(Finn 2008). The answer for the reason behind the customerââ¬â¢s thought to buy a particular product will eradicate all presumptions and will help in succeeding a long term customer relationship. Consumers pass on to the next stage of service experience, subsequent to the decision to make a purchase. In the service encounter stage, the consumer intermingles straightly with the service firm, and it is the way by which consumers produce value, and evaluate their service experience. Consumer sa tisfaction, and their perception regarding the service quality, have great importance in the last stage of the service consumption process (ie; the post purchase behavior), because of their relationship with business performance. On the other hand, the satisfied consumers, and those who have high perceptions regarding service quality may not go again to the same service provider. Role and Importance of Customer Service Experience and Service Marketing Mix- An Overview: A customerââ¬â¢s service experience pertains the serious of the interactions with the service providers, when customers try to communicate with them.à All types of customers are emotional, and they are likely to rate experiences on the basis of their expectations. ââ¬Å"In order to be successful with all the customers, companies require generating and sustaining uniformity of experience across every channel. A complete communication experience will do more favor than just paying attention to the customer. â⬠Å"The companies require learning the ways to communicate with the customers using different channels and also require making sure that the customerââ¬â¢s experience delivers actual value to them in exchange for time, attention, actions, information, and anything elseâ⬠(The Importance of Positive Customer Service Experiences 2011). One of the great borders for innovation is the customer experience. Better customer experienc
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Japanese Art Essay Example for Free
Japanese Art Essay For the GOY* project, I chose to visit The Pavilion of Japanese Art in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and look at Japanese artworks, especially from the Jomon to Heian period. There were no event focusing on Japanese Art on LACMA, so I opted to join a Sunday tour of the Japanese art collection instead. Knowing at once that it would only last for 50 minutes, I wondered at first how the guide would condense the lecture of thousands of years of Japanese history and Japanese art, especially that it entails a lot of explaining and translating to do. But the explanations as we went along the way were brief and concise and focused on the artworks, but were enough for us to take note of. What I intended to focus on were paintings from the Jomon to Heian period of Japanese Art, but instead I took note of different forms of Japanese artworks which I found interesting. There were several pieces that caught my attention, but those that I focused on were a ceramic vessel from the middle Jomon period, Jizo Bosatsu, which is carved wood sculpture from the late Heian period, and Seated Warrior, a sculpture from the Kofun period. Japanese art on the Jomon period are mostly earthenware vessels, mostly deep pots made of clay. Potteries made from the Jomon period are characterized by rope markings, incised lines and applied coils of clay (Kleiner 91). These vessels, however psychedelically figured, have a variety of uses. They serve different purposes, from storage to burial (Kleiner 91). The vessels on the Japanese Art Tour on the LACMA mostly have textured bases, the incised rope markings very apparent, and have castellated rims. Japanese art on the Kofun period is completely different. According to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts Website, the art on this period is characterized by tombs furnished haniwa, or cylinders which are used as adornment for tombs on the era. The forms of the haniwa later evolved to simple geometric forms of houses, animals, birds, and other figures. The sculpture on the LACMA, however, resembles a Seated Warior form, hence, its title. The Heian period is characterized with artworks representing or illustrating Esoteric Buddhism (Kleiner, 2010). Most of the artworks are Buddhist deities sculptures carved from wood, to which people worship. The sculpture of deities were characterized by a wardrobe of a monks, and all of them stood on top of a lotus, which symbolizes rebirth, according to the tour guide. I have expected Japanese art to be intricate, except maybe those from the Jomon period. But it turned out that even from the Neolithic period, the Japanese already had a sense of aesthetics that their vessels are adorned with rope markings. For me, the abstract form of Jomon period art is its strength. The Kofun period art was indeed very interesting for me because the artworks were used to decorate tombs, and the decorations symbolizes the person in that tomb. Meanwhile, as expected, Heian art is deeply rooted on Buddhism, and has Chinese influences. At the end of the day, I realized that the evolution of Japanese art relied on what happened in Japan at the time these artworks were constructed. The colorful events strongly influences the frame of mind of the artists. History is what shapes art.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Brian Duffy | Photographer Biography
Brian Duffy | Photographer Biography Brian Duffy was born in 1933 to Irish immigrant parents in London, England. His household was highly politicized because his father was a republican and had done time as an IRA man. His mother was from Dublin, Ireland which inevitably caused further friction in the household. Both of his parents were strict Catholics and Duffy was brought up in a typical working class family. As a child, he was a self- confessed rogue, particularly when his father left to fight in World War II. Free from parental control, Duffy and his friends roamed the streets of London, acting like little thugs and having a great time. He remembers the American soldiers everywhere, their swearing, and the exciting magazines that they read. He had little time for education. However, in the first of the many unlikely events that color Duffys life, at the age of twelve he was enrolled at an early version of a progressive school in South Kensington run by the London County Council. It was staffed by injured ex-service men and aimed to introduce problem children to the arts. Duffy was taken to art galleries, the opera, the ballet, museums, and was immediately admitted. A few years later in 1950, Duffy went for an interview at Central Saint Martins in the Fields to study painting. He got in easily. The surroundings into which he was thrown into was instantly appealing to him. His fellow students had long hair, anarchic tendencies, intense politics, and a passion for art. Although he did not know it at the time, it was a significant moment for British Art. Duffy mixed with Frank Auerbach, Leon Kossof, Joe Tilson, and Len Deighton. Deighton became a lifelong friend. During his foundation year he also learned a healthy appreciation for what was called artspeak. His new friends spoke an articulate language that in theory referenced art history, critical theory, and sought to legitimize what they did in their studios. While much of this was no doubt suspicious, it taught Duffy an important truth: sounding like an artist was half the battle in becoming one. This had a healthy impact on Duffys intellectual education as he sought to train himself as an intellectual. It took many years for Duffy to discover that photography was going to be the best outlet for his newly found creative urges. He spent the majority of his three years at Saint Martins studying fashion design which eventually gave him an edge as a fashion photographer. After college Duffy went in and out of several jobs in the fashion business, including working for Princess Margarets designer, Victor Steibel, and producing fashion drawings for Harpers Bazaar. He learned the business and the process by meeting the right people. He also began dabbling with photography. Duffy went through early photographic apprenticeships with a variety of commercial operations. He spent a short time with a photography company called Cosmopolitan Artists where he learned pretty much nothing from men there who didnt know what they were doing themselves. One of them was a young Ken Russell. Duffy enjoyed more success at Artist Partners, an illustration firm, where he worked with Adrian Flowers to photograph products and scenarios for the company and then copy and turn into advertisements. Unlike Terence Donovan and David Bailey, Duffy was turned down for a job by the fashion photographer John French whose studio had become the major training ground for young photographers in London at the time. With Duffys skill, ambition, and sheer nerve, by 1957 he had secured himself a contract with Vogue after engaging the interest of the magazines art director, John Parsons. Charged at first with photographing everything and anything, Duffy found himself in the creative environment of Vogue Studios where he encountered some of the great photographers of the age. He worked closely with models Jennifer Hocking, Pauline Stone, Joy Weston and Jean Shrimpton. At this time, Duffy also began mixing regularly with David Bailey and Terence Donovan who were following similar career paths. In fact, it was he who introduced Bailey to Shrimpton, and they went on to become one of most famous celebrity couples of the 1960s. Much has been written on the impact that the three young men had on Vogue. Also with photography and Londons growing creative scene, particularly the work and lifestyle of David Bailey. However, it was Duffy who in fact led the way. The three redefined the role of the photographer and became as well known as the actors, models, musicians, and members of royalty that they photographed. They also played a major part in developing the 1960s fashion aesthetic, sexualizing the human body, and capturing through photography the wider concerns of their generation. Duffy, Donovan, and Bailey were thought of as a unit of three renegade, working class photographers tearing up a corrupt industry with little regard for the rules of the old guard. Norman Parkinson referred to them as The Black Trinity, while Cecil Beaton, in his 1973 book The Magic Image, remembered them as the terrible three. Duffy himself said at the time, Before 1960 a fashion photographer was tall, thin and camp. But we three are different: short, fat and heterosexual (Brian Duffy). Duffy eventually left photography because the lifestyle was making him unhealthy, but also because he began to dislike the highly commercial, cut throat advertising world that he inhabited. His commercial work of the 1970s is of a high standard and is more distinctive than that of Donovan and Bailey, who found themselves following the fashion rather than dictating it. One can detect that the once exciting world of photography had become routine for Duffy. Perhaps as a result of this, Duffys personal work from that period stands out in particular, and forms one of the most important and interesting bodies of work in his archive. Rooted in the modernist aesthetics of Americans Paul Strand, Robert Frank and Walker Evans, Duffy experimented at length with finding the beauty in the intellectual process of photography. The pictures from this period are an investigation into the mysteries of photography, an attempt to shock the viewer into appreciating something that they would normally fin d boring. He was also trying to understand the impact of black and white, how taking color away from an everyday scene can add to it and give it additional resonance and power. Most of all though, they are the polar opposite of the glossy, color photographs that his clients demanded. By 1979, Duffy had had enough of photography altogether and made that fateful trip into his studio back yard. Moving on to my impressions and opinions about his work. I am not an expert in any way with photography and being able to see all of the intricate details associated with a photograph. I do not have much experience taking photographs myself. I will do my best as to give my best insights into his photographs. The first photo of Duffys that I found was a photo of a man and woman in a car. They appear to be a couple on a normal road anyone would be using. The car is stationary. The man is looking up in the air while the woman is holding what looks like a scarf over her head. I cannot tell what kind of car it is that they are in. When I first saw this photo I got the impression that the man is almost annoyed with her behavior. To me he has a look on his face that this is something she does a lot. The photo is in black and white which I think adds to the uniqueness of his photos. The next photo that I found of his that I like is a photo of a public area with a woman and man and a lot of pigeons. I like this photo because it brings me back to a time when I was younger and able to travel through Europe with family. I remember these public places in Europe having a lot of pigeons because people fed them. This photo brings out some childhood memories for me. It is another black and white photo. I think that the woman in the white dress was staged there and she is posing. I honestly think that the man in it was just a guy passing by and happened to be in the photo. He just has that look about him, compared to her. Following along, I especially like this next photo. I like the symmetry of it with the woman posing is lined up with the building behind her. In this photo I think that she is the only one posing for the photo. Everyone else in it are just regular people who happened to be in the scene. She seems to be expressing her openness to the situation and to life in general. Her arms are open saying to open yourself up to things. The next photo is finally a color picture by Duffy. I do not know who the man is in the picture. I like the effects done in this photo. You can see a time lapse effect in this photo where you can see three different hands as the man in the photo was throwing sand. This man seems to be in a desolate area. All you can see is the sand in the background. To me this photo is saying that you are not alone. Even in this desolate area you can still run into another person. The final photo of Duffys that I am going to discuss is a color photo with what appears to be an average woman. She is holding up a newspaper that is covering some of her face. She appears to be surprised by something in the newspaper. To me this photo is saying that surprises can be found in any place in life. To conclude, I was very interested in the life of Brian Duffy. As someone who lived in England for five years I wanted to do a photographer from that country. He lived an important life in the realm of photography. To be called the man who shot the sixties you had to have had a major impact. To be able to have that sort of impact for a whole decade is quite amazing. Bibliography Brian Duffy. The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016. Brian Duffy The Man Who Shot The Sixties. C41. N.p., 17 Feb. 2013. Web. 09 Dec. 2016. Brian Duffy. Brian Duffy Photographer Bio. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016. DUFFY: The Man Who Shot the Sixties. Dir. Linda Brusasco. Crackit Productions, 2010. DUFFY: The Man Who Shot the Sixties. YouTube, 13 Jan. 2010. Web. 9 Dec. 2016Ã
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